News

Lightning News

THE LIGHTNING INSIDER

by
Lightning Insider
/ Tampa Bay Lightning

Let Tampabaylightning.com become your destination for all the latest Lightning scoops. The Lightning Insider will be in the stands, in the locker room and on the road with the team throughout the 2007-08 season to provide you with a positive look at the Bolts as they pursue Lord Stanley’s hardware. Our resident snoop will post the latest following practices and morning skates, and he’ll make sure you’re the first to know when the Lightning are making news. Have a question or comment for The Insider? Send me an email at Insider@tampabaylightning.com

It’s certainly a lot easier to get on a bus and head back to practice at the arena you played in the night before after a win. That’s exactly what the Lightning did at 9:45 this morning after a satisfying 5-1 victory in Carolina that snapped the team’s road losing streak. I’m sure the players and coaches are happy to put that “accomplishment” behind them as the team prepares to face Washington with some positive momentum.

The Lightning wouldn’t normally practice on the day after back-to-back games, but there won’t be ice available for a morning skate in Washington tomorrow, so a 30-minute session was the order of the day.

Saturday’s game at the Capitals will provide another huge road test for the Lightning, who dropped a 5-3 decision on October 24 in Washington. The Capitals had been struggling lately, but any inclination that the Lightning would be facing a team of fragile confidence went out the window last night when Washington went into Ottawa and handed the Senators only their second loss of the season, 4-1. You can bet the Capitals will be feeling good about themselves when the puck drops tomorrow night.

After a quick practice this morning the Lightning headed to the airport for a short flight to Baltimore and another night in D.C. Undoubtedly, many of those in the Lightning’s travel party will be a block away from the team hotel tonight at the Daily Grill, always a good dinner spot.

Speaking of Baltimore, that’s where Lightning defenseman Dan Boyle is today to have a second surgery on his left wrist tendons. I’m expecting a statement from the Lightning this evening, and I’ll post it when it arrives.